Abstract
Radiological imaging plays an essential role in the evaluation of a patient with suspected small bowel obstruction (SBO). In a few studies, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has been utilized as a primary imaging modality in patients with suspected SBO. POCUS has been shown to be an accurate tool in the diagnosis of SBO with multiple research studies noting a consistent high sensitivity with a range of 94–100% and specificity of 81–100%. Specific sonographic findings that increase the likelihood of SBO include dilatation of small bowel loops > 25 mm, altered intestinal peristalsis, increased thickness of the bowel wall, and intraperitoneal fluid accumulation. Studies also reported that emergency physicians could apply this technique with limited and short-term ultrasound training. In this article, we aim to review the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound examinations performed by emergency physicians in patients with suspected SBO.
Highlights
Computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and plain radiography are widely used in the ED to image patients with a high pretest probability of small bowel obstruction (SBO) [1,2,3]
Point-of-care ultrasound can be used as an optimal option for the diagnosis and early management of small bowel obstruction in the ED
Studies reviewed in this article suggested that point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has a high specificity in detecting dilated loops of bowel, leading to the diagnosis of SBO
Summary
Computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and plain radiography are widely used in the ED to image patients with a high pretest probability of SBO [1,2,3]. As reported by Kidmas et al, the accuracy of plain abdominal radiograph in diagnosing SBO varies from 50% to 92% and is used mostly in developing countries as the initial imaging tool. They noted that CT scan has the advantage of determining the cause and predicting the location of obstruction [4]. The current established standard of care is to perform a CT scan when suspicious for an acute small bowel obstruction This is associated with increased radiation exposure, delayed time to diagnosis, and increased cost. As for Xrays, Taylor and Lalani, and commentary provided by Carpenter and Pines, agreed that plain abdominal radiography is limited in diagnosing and/or excluding SBO [5, 6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
